I did go biridng today
Only one of these todayThe only bird to get the pulse racing was a redpoll sp at Robin Hood's Bay, I only saw this bird briefly and incompletely as much of it was hidden by twigs or it was flying off yonder, but white background colour on the flank and a soft flight call indicate what it might have been - nice for speculation.
"No Hope Ravine"I spent a good while looking in here today to no avail as expected, it is a small wood really and access is tricky.
Totals of 84 Blackbirds and 26 Robins were otherwise of note and 17 Goldcrest. I possibly heard a Waxwing again but it was a bit feint and distant, another one best forgotten.
Off the beach at Saltwick Nab were no birds. This looks like a Common Seal to me.
"I'm sure there's a King Eider around here somewhere!"
Off Coastguards there were 9 Eider and about 65 Common Scoter (all females), 165 Oystercatchers were roosting at the cliff bottom or feeding on the fields.
Totals of 84 Blackbirds and 26 Robins were otherwise of note and 17 Goldcrest. I possibly heard a Waxwing again but it was a bit feint and distant, another one best forgotten.
Off the beach at Saltwick Nab were no birds. This looks like a Common Seal to me.
"I'm sure there's a King Eider around here somewhere!"Off Coastguards there were 9 Eider and about 65 Common Scoter (all females), 165 Oystercatchers were roosting at the cliff bottom or feeding on the fields.
5 comments:
hi alistair, bit confused by your post. Has a pallas warbler been reported since you returned or are you purely speculating? As for your sightings i'm afraid you were even out of luck with your mammals as the seal is a grey and not common. Sorry.
Yes there was a Pallas' found in Hinderwell graveyard. I don't know found it though. I'm guessing one of the TBC crew.
I did suspect that it was a Grey, but what criteria are you using to id it? It had a very short snout, was a small seal (perhaps though in its first year or so which makes life harder, and the diagnostic nasal arrangement cannot be seen in the pic.
I got the book out to id the seal and looked carefully at the other pictures. The nostrils appear to be widely separated and although the profile doesn't seem as obvious as usual - perhaps a young one - I reckon you're right Andy. Grey Seal it is - the commoner species here.
alastair, I was purely going off the shape of the snout. Grey's having a very obvious conical snout with common seals having a obvious step giving them a dog like mussel.
Quite right Andy, I'm not especially good at these shapes and find the young ones, which don't have the really extended snout, quite confusing. I'm sure it is a Grey Seal as you suggested.
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